What is a Dual Fuel Heating system?

A dual fuel bathroom towel rail is heated from your central heating system during the winter months and also on an electric “stand alone” system during the summer months. This is especially useful in the summer when you don’t use your central heating system as much, if at all. You simply switch to the electric element options (standard or thermostatic elements) and enjoy warm, dry bathroom towels when you step out of the bath or shower. Keeping the bathroom gently heated also reduces moisture levels and inhibits the growth of mould. Used in this way, a dual fuel towel rail is more economical and environmentally friendly, helping to reduce your carbon footprint.

What are the benefits of a Dual Fuel System?

A Duel fuel system is the most economical way of heating your bathroom. In the winter months the towel rail heats off the centralised heating system, during the summer months you will switch it over to an electrical stand alone system. By running the system this way you take the chill off your bathroom and also have dry warm towel all year round for the cheapest most economical use.

Choosing a Duel Fuel Kits that suits your needs:

Choosing a duel fuel kit that matches your requirements is very important. The table below gives a rough guideline as to which duel fuel kit will best suit your existing towel rail or one you are about to purchase.

How should I use my dual fuel heated towel rail?

At the end of spring beginning of summer , you may wish to turn off your central heating and switch your towel radiator from a plumbed radiator to a stand alone electric unit. Doing so will remove the chill from your bathroom and let you have warm towels after a bath or shower without your full central heating system being on.
By following the steps below, you can take advantage of your dual fuel radiator and protect your central heating, towel radiator and most importantly, your electric heating element which is installed inside the towel radiator.

1. Before you switch usage, you must isolate the bathroom radiator from the rest of your central heating system by turning both inlet (flow) and outlet (return) valves completely off.
2. After you shut both valves, you will either need to loosen the bleed valve slightly. The trick here is to be very gentle when loosening it. Loosening one of these will reduce the risk of pressure building inside the towel radiator as the electric element heats the water.
3. Once the radiator is isolated and you have opened your bleed valve have a spare towel or rag handy slight amount of water may come out of the bleed valve at this point, you can safely turn on your heating element.
4. Once your towel rail has been heated evenly and is up to full temperature you can then close the bleed valve off to create a vacuum system.
5. At the end of summer, you will turn off your heating element and turn both inlet and outlet valves full on, then bleed the radiator close the bleed valve back off and your done until next summer.

NOTE: It is strongly recommended to follow the steps above to avoid damaging your electric heating element, towel radiator and your central heating system as a whole.

You can find all of our Standard Element duel fuel kits or Thermostatic Element Duel Fuel Kits on our detailed website.

NWT are always available on the other end of the phone 01492 573738, so if you have any questions about dual fuel central heating systems, please do no hesitate to get in touch and one of our friendly members of staff will be more than happy to help you!